Northshield Rings facts for kids
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Ramparts of the fort
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 Location in Scottish Borders
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| Location | Near Eddleston, Scotland |
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| Coordinates | 55°43′54″N 3°11′4″W / 55.73167°N 3.18444°W |
| Type | Hillfort |
| Area | 0.35 hectares (0.86 acres) |
| History | |
| Periods | Iron Age |
| Reference no. | SM731 |
Northshield Rings is a prehistoric site, a hillfort near the village of Eddleston and about 6 miles (10 km) north of Peebles, in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It is a Scheduled Monument.
Description
The fort, on a rounded hill a short distance south of Portmore Loch, has well-preserved defences. There is an inner rampart, 73 metres (240 ft) north-north-west to south-south-east by 64 metres (210 ft), enclosing an area of 0.35 hectares (0.86 acres). There are two ramparts outside this. There are three entrances, in the north-west, south and south-east. Within the inner enclosure, seven slight depressions have been found, of diameter 6–9 metres (20–30 ft), thought to be the sites of timber round-houses.
The inner rampart rises up to 0.5 metres (1 ft 8 in) above the interior, and 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) above an external ditch. The outer ramparts are more substantial, with external quarry-ditches, providing a defence up to 20 metres (66 ft) deep. It is thought that there were at least two phases of construction; it has been supposed, since the space between the inner rampart and the outer defences is up to 8 metres (26 ft) wide, which would not be there if defences had been strengthened working outwards, that the outer ramparts were built earlier.
